Bundesliga restart could set precedent for the Premier League amid coronavirus
16 May 2020, 11:10
Bundesliga season resuming with Mail football correspondent
The football correspondent for the Daily Mail told LBC that the eyes of the world are on the German football league this weekend.
Andrew wanted to know "how are they managing the situation and we can't" as the Bundesliga restarts and the Premier League is still uncertain. He put this question to Sami Mokbel, football correspondent at the Daily Mail.
"If the games go away without major incident then the Premier League and Championship will look at Germany and think if they can do it, why can't we" the writer argued, hinting that the whole football world will be looking to Germany this weekend taking notes.
Andrew remained skeptical of the reopening, wondering "from a player's point of view, how do you social distance." Mr Mokbel insisted that this question has been addressed from some corners of the football world throughout the debate.
"The Premier League captains addressed these questions this week" he said. He told Andrew that "what the players are asking is 'how can you guarantee I'm going to be safe" and so far, the PL powers that be are unable to answer these questions.
The football correspondent insisted that "there's a lot of unanswered questions" around the safety of restarting the football season and that the Bundesliga's reopening will be an important point of reference.
Andrew wanted to know when the sports writer believed the Premier League will restart, if it will at all.
Mr Mokbel was cautious to name a date but warned Andrew that "if it doesn't happen by the end of June, we're going to have to ask the other question." The other question of course, is whether or not the season will be completed at all and if the Premier League should end the season prematurely.
He wondered if the conversation within the Premier League board was to "decide to curtail" the 2019/20 season if the conditions in Germany prove not to be beneficial and actually aggravate the pandemic.
Listen & subscribe: Global Player | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify
